Cairo Police Officer hurt in crash while driving to high speed chase

The crash happened at the intersection of Illinois Route 3 and Highway 51 just after 10 Sunday morning.

According to ISP, Cairo Police Officer Chris Smith was headed to assist the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office with a high speed chase on interstate 57. But Smith never made it.

Instead he crashed into a Toyota Camry with three people inside. 19-year old Ruben Anderson of Cairo was driving. He was airlifted to a Memphis hospital.

Meanwhile passenger Bobby Pruitt walked away from the scene. The 26-year old later checked in to Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah. Marissa Hogan, 21-years old, was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau with major injuries.

Officer Smith was also taken to Saint Francis with non-life threatening injuries.

The chase, which Smith was originally headed to, started on Interstate 57 near marker 8. There a Mounds Police Officer pulled a driver over.

But when Officer Timothy Patrick asked the driver to provide his information, the driver swore at the officer and sped away.

Police say the suspect hits speeds 120 miles per hour through a construction zone.

Pulaski County Sheriff deputies helped block the suspect's car. Investigators say that's when the suspect rammed his car into a Mounds police car. Police say the suspect then drove down off the right side of the road and hit a tree.

The suspect is now in the Tri-County Detention Center and faces more than 25 citations such as reckless driving, DUI and criminal damage to state property.